Thyme for Cooking
Seasonal Weekly Menus & Shopping Lists
Healthy Food Fresh Ingredients Simple Recipes
Menu Plan for Spring II: Week 7, Saturday
Links:
Daily Recipes:
Artichokes with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken on Pimiento Sauce
Risotto with Fava Beans
Cooking time: 60 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Fava or broad beans are a sign of spring that I almost forgot about... They are so fleeting here. They're a bit of work (like fresh peas) to prepare so I use them in risottos or pastas, rather than on their own. You can substitute edamame (fresh soy beans) if you like - same color, similar taste and texture. For this dinner, we stood around the cook top in the kitchen, nibbling the artichokes, sipping wine and stirring the risotto...
Artichokes with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette
Total time: 55 minutes
The artichokes take 40 - 50 minutes to steam. This can be done anytime and the artichokes can be served warm or cold. Have a small, sharp knife handy so that when you get all of the leaves off and are at the fuzzy choke you can cut it off and enjoy the bottom.... and put an extra bowl on the table for the 'used' leaves.
Ingredients:
- 2 globe artichokes
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Fines Herbes this is a classic French herb mixture of equal amounts: tarragon, chervil, chives, parsley
- 3 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Cut off bottoms of artichokes and remove any tough lower leaves.
- Dip in water to which a tbs of lemon juice has been added (to prevent discoloration).
- For a nicer presentation cut off the tips of the bottom half of the leaves - using a scissors.
- Cut the top 1/3rd of the artichoke off and discard. Don't worry about the choke (fuzzy hairs inside).
- Put in a steamer and steam 40 - 50 minutes.
- Serve artichokes with small dipping bowl of vinaigrette.
- Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl whisk mustard and vinegar.
- Slowly whisk in oil until it emulsifies (thickens and combines).
- Add herbs and stir well to combine.
Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Breasts on Pimiento Sauce
Total time: 40 minutes
These are easy to make: slice a pocket, fill and tie. The Prosciutto wrapping infuses the chicken with flavor and helps keep it moist. The Pimiento Sauce adds just a bit of spice to it.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 - 2oz (50gr) Gruyère or other hard cheese, thinly sliced
- 4 slices Prosciutto (about 3oz, 90gr)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- kitchen string
- Pimiento Sauce:
- 5oz (150gr) pimientos (pimentos) or roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbs tomato paste use the stuff in the tube
- 1 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup (2-4oz, 60-120ml) chicken stock
Instructions:
- With a sharp knife make a long slit in the edge of the chicken breast - cutting horizontally and being careful not to cut through the other side. Make the cut on the 'straight' edge of the breast. You should have a pocket the shape of the breast with 1/2 inch of 'uncut' chicken around 3 sides.
- Tuck the sliced cheese inside.
- Lay 2 slices of Prosciutto side by side.
- Close the chicken breast and lay it on the Prosciutto at a slight angle, Roll and wrap, covering the chicken breast completely in the ham, as best you can.
- Wrap the entire parcel with kitchen string to hold it together - and keep as much cheese inside as possible.
- Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes total.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and let finish cooking, another 10 - 15 minutes.
- Pimiento Sauce:
- Put pimiento/pepper, garlic powder and chili powder into a blender. Purée, adding as much stock as needed.
- Pour into a small saucepan and stir in tomato paste.
- Gently heat until it starts to simmer.
- Remove from heat, stir in yogurt and cover to keep warm.
- To finish:
- Remove chicken from heat. Snip the string in a few places and remove.
- Spoon some Pimiento Sauce onto the plates, place the chicken in the center and serve, any remaining sauce on the side.
Risotto with Fava (Broad) Beans
Total time: 25 minutes
Another classic Italian dish for spring. It would normally be served as a first course (as are all pasta and rice dishes in Italy) but I like it as creamy side dish. Fava beans are only with us a short time in the spring.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup fava (broad) beans you'll need about 1lb (500gr) of pods to start with substitute edamame (soy beans)
- 1/3 cup (2.1oz, 60gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) dry, white wine
- 1 1/4 cups (10oz, 300ml) chicken stock
- 2 green garlic substitute green onion and 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/3 cup (1.5oz, 45gr) Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- Trim and thickly slice green garlic, using as much green as possible.
- Peel fava beans. Can be done earlier
- In medium sauce pan heat butter; add green garlic, rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/4 cup of stock and stir.
- When the rice has almost absorbed the stock add another 1/4 cup and stir. Add the fava beans or edamame with the next 1/4 cup of stock. Continue adding stock, 1/4 cup at a time, and stirring.
- Before the last 1/4 cup is added taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. You may not need the last 1/4 cup. If more stock is needed add it 1/8 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - it will not hold it's shape on a plate.
- Stir in the Parmesan.
- Spoon into a bowl and serve immediately.
Peel fava beans: It's a bit like peas. Break open the pod and take the beans out. Don't bother with any really tiny ones. Blanch in rapidly boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and put into cold water. After blanching they will have a whitish outer shell. Just squeeze lightly and the inner, bright green bean will pop out. It may split in half... that's okay.
Cooking Schedule: 60 minutes |
Remove artichokes |
Share this:
----------------------
Get 7 Dinner Menus, Recipes, Shopping List each Thursday by e-mail: Subscribe
